Art Saves Lives
An essay series curated by Seema Reza & edited by Ben Weakley.
Introduction by Seema Reza
I begin writing workshops with new groups of people by saying “Writing has saved my life. It continues to save my life on a regular basis.” I say it because it’s true. I say it because the best way to help people feel comfortable about being vulnerable is by modeling it. And mostly, I say it because it calms my own nerves to admit right up front that I am still working on saving my own life. It reminds me that this work, this moment, the act of writing is sacred. The stakes are high.
In the space after I say it, the room leans in. People who have been stifled by the pressure to pretend they are perfect are able to relax into the hard work at hand. People who are skeptical that someone like me, who gets to sit at the head of the table, could possibly get it trust me a little bit more.
I hope that this series of essays will give the writers of each piece the opportunity to reflect on the sacred act of art making and allow readers to feel seen and safe to reach further inside of themselves in their own art making practice.
Thank you for your submissions!
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Art Saves Lives essays are listed below in order from the most recent to the oldest post.
Art Saves Lives: The Fire Within by J.G.P. MacAdam
We admire stoics. Those who bear the wounds of this life in venerable silence. The grandfather or uncle who never spoke of their wartime experiences, for instance. We might pity stoics, too. Those who never found a voice of their own—the words, the ability, the...
Art Saves Lives: Letter Writing as a Spiritual Practice by Ryan Jafar Artes
Here is a reminder, dear Ryan: staying grounded and rooted in the present time and current day is the most important part. October 1, 2023 Dear Ryan, You did it! You are doing it, and you will continue to do it, which is that which you are here to...
Art Saves Lives: The Patuxent Paradox by Jillian Danback-McGhan
“We make art with our lives, yes, but also our lives are made through art.”
Art Saves Lives: Creating Who I Am — by Valerie Acosta
In preparation for this essay, I looked through my collection of half-finished journals. In the neon-colored “Ballerina Bunnies” Lisa Frank notebook that haphazardly documents my teenage life, I found this entry from 1996:I CAN’T SLEEP. Why has Hypnos condemned me? ...